Megan Ferraro Discusses Childhood Drowning Prevention at CPSC National Roundtable

Megan Ferraro, Executive Director of The ZAC Foundation and Chair of the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan, joined water safety leaders this week at a roundtable convened by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to discuss strategies to reverse childhood drowning trends.

In her remarks, Ferraro noted that drowning remains the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of death for children ages 5 to 14 in the U.S., and pointed to recent CPSC data showing that 70 percent of pool or spa drownings occur in residential settings. She highlighted layers of protection, including four-sided isolation fencing, pool alarms, and designated adult water watchers, as some of the most effective ways to reduce risk.

Ferraro also noted that formal swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by up to 88 percent among young children, and pointed to TZF’s dryland water safety curriculumas a way to reach kids who may not otherwise have access to swim lessons or water safety education.

Ferraro urged the Commission to rethink how it reaches families with these messages, arguing that earned media, targeted social campaigns, and community-based outreach are more effective than relying on satellite media tours.

Read the CPSC’s full news release to learn more.